Labour set for poll windfall of 1,300 seats

Crumbling support for coalition government shows in the most recent Sunday Times poll of local election results

Ed Miliband will see Labour's best result at standalone elections for 12 years (Stefan Rousseau)

Labour is on course to gain well over 1,000 seats in the local elections on
May 5, benefiting from crumbling support for the Liberal Democrats and big
losses for the Tories.

Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, will be able to boast of his party’s best
result at standalone local elections for 12 years, according to a Sunday
Times survey of local government by-election results. The analysis was
carried out by Colin Rallings and Michael Thrasher of Plymouth University’s
Elections Centre.

The survey of local by-elections across the country each week puts Labour on
38% — up 12 points compared with the last time the seats up for grabs on May
5 were contested in 2007. The Tories have 35% — down five points in four
years.

The Lib Dems continue to perform better in elections than in the polls, but
their rating of 17% is seven points down on 2007 and is